SHILLONG, DEC 12: The Khasi Students Union (KSU) today expressed its total disagreement with the Meghalaya High Court on its recent appeal to the Centre to grant citizenship to migrants of six communities from countries of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In a statement issued here on Wednesday, KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah said, “….in response to the recent appeal by the Meghalaya High Court to the Prime Minister of India to grant instantaneous citizenship to the aforesaid groups once they seek refuge in India, the Union completely disagrees without taking into account all the aspects including the demographic structure of the North eastern states of India.”
Reiterating its stiff opposition against the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, Thabah said the Union also appeal to all section of the society to oppose and reject this draconian Bill which seeks to erase the diverse and unique communities of North East.
The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in July 2016 to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 with an aim to provide citizenships to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians facing prosecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
In a 37-page judgement disposing off a petition filed by one Amon Rana, who was denied domicile certificate, Justice S R Sen said, “I can simply say that the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhist, Parsis, Christians, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos residing in India which ever date maybe, they have come to India are to be declared all as Indian citizens and those who will come in future also to be considered as Indian citizens.”
He said, “I request our beloved Prime Minister, Home Minister, Law Minister and Members of the Parliament to bring a law to allow the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhist, Parsis, Christians, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to live in this country peacefully and with full dignity without making any cut off year and be given citizenship without any question or production of any documents.”
“Similar principle should be taken to those who live in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan,” he said.
The Court said these communities may be allowed to come at any point of time to settle in India and Government may provide rehabilitation properly and declare them citizens of India.
Stating that though the KSU is not against any humanitarian venture by the country, the general secretary however said, “Yet it feels that prior to the implementation of any international humanitarian act, the humanitarian perspective of the microscopic indigenous communities of NE India should also be taken into account.”
As per knowledge, it is known that there are approximately 14 million Hindus in Bangladesh, he said adding in NE, for example in Meghalaya, there are only more than 1 million ethnic Khasis which are currently facing the wrath of unabated influx from migrants belonging to other communities.
According to him, in the capital city of Shillong itself, the indigenous Khasi population constitutes not more 50 percent compared to past statistics.
“Therefore if such a bill is passed or if immediate citizenship is issued to the said migrants then the indigenous communities of NE India are bound to be wiped out or depopulate by these migrants,” Thabah stated.
He added if from the 14 million Bangladeshi Hindus, 3 million seeks or are grant Indian citizenship thereby settling in Meghalaya, then the 1 million Khasi populace will be reduced to a minority in a snap of a finger which in turn will lead to unimaginable discrimination of the tribal rights, customs and their political, economical and social rights which ultimately will result in their extinction and forced assimilation into the dominant communities.
By Our Reporter
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